Does Taking GLP-1 Drugs Before Bariatric Surgery Affect Weight Loss Results? | Research

The takeaway

Pre-surgical GLP-1 receptor agonist use did not significantly impact weight loss outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass in a 422-patient study.

422 patients compared
8.5% on pre-op GLP-1 drugs showed no significant difference in post-surgical weight loss

What the researchers found

Neoadjuvant GLP-1RA use (8.5% of patients) did not significantly affect post-surgical weight loss outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Why it matters

Surgeons and patients can be reassured that taking GLP-1 drugs before surgery does not compromise bariatric surgical weight loss outcomes.

How the study worked

Retrospective cohort study of 422 bariatric surgery patients (36 with pre-op GLP-1RA, 386 without) from July 2022 to June 2023, using t-tests and multivariable analysis.

What this study cannot tell us

Small GLP-1RA group (n=36) limits statistical power. Retrospective single-center design. Short follow-up period. Cannot account for all confounding variables.

How to read the evidence

Retrospective single-center cohort with small treatment group — provides preliminary reassurance but needs larger confirmatory studies.

When this study was published

Published in 2026; reflects current GLP-1 RA prescribing patterns before bariatric surgery.

The bigger picture

As GLP-1 drugs become standard pre-operative tools for weight reduction, understanding their interaction with surgical outcomes is crucial for optimizing the obesity treatment pathway.

Questions still open

Should GLP-1 drugs be continued, paused, or stopped at the time of bariatric surgery?
Do patients who take GLP-1 drugs before surgery have different long-term weight maintenance?

Common questions

Can I take Ozempic before bariatric surgery?

This study suggests taking GLP-1 medications before bariatric surgery does not negatively impact surgical weight loss results. However, always discuss medication timing with your surgical team.

Is bariatric surgery still necessary if I'm on GLP-1 drugs?

Bariatric surgery remains the most effective single intervention for severe obesity. GLP-1 drugs and surgery may be complementary, and this study suggests they don't interfere with each other.

Read the original research

Effects of neoadjuvant glucagon-like-peptide 1 receptor agonists on weight loss after bariatric surgery.

Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, 22(1), 18-23

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Benavidez, Maria Charina; Redpath, Sophia; Trautmann, Stephanie; Ceron, Santiago; Schimpke, Scott; Myers, Jonathan; Omotosho, Philip; Torquati, Alfonso; Skertich, Nicholas J. (2026). Effects of neoadjuvant glucagon-like-peptide 1 receptor agonists on weight loss after bariatric surgery.. Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, 22(1), 18-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2025.09.010